On 17/01/2009 masterofrup wrote:>(The OT that just won't die)>thinking about upgrading my little old v twin honda to either a mid size>sport tourer no bigger than 1000cc or similiar size dual sport at the road>oriented end of the equation. priority's are year round comfort (about>a 20 min 100kmh commute all weather) and the ability to do a trip away>two up occasionally. still researching bikes on more appropriate forums>but all general advice welcome, chockstone sometimes does really seem like>the source of all information. >but what i really want to know is how many kms is a lot/to many on a 2nd>hand bike i would be doing most if not all my own servicing and have a>reasonable handle on most things 4 wheeled but the comparitively high revving>nature of bikes makes me unsure about their longevity.

Most anything in the category of interest within the last twenty years is ultra reliable. Met a BMW hybrid (GS model) the other day with 360,000 clicks on it and still going strong, but it was an 1150 cc, so outside your parameters?

Depends a lot on the style of riding and servicing the previous owner/s did. I have mates who are Triumph fanatics and it seems no amount of km will kill them. The early ones are reputedly more problematic unless you are into mechanics in a serious way ...
Brings to mind the old joke about the farmer saying his great grandfathers axe is 150 years old and good as new. Only replaced the handle twenty seven times and the head twice, ... but it is still good as!

The Honda may be the easiest to do your own work on.

My best tip would be to match the oil to the machine as prescribed by owners manual, ie older style bikes require the older style oil and will not run as well on the modern 'equivalent' for ring/piston longetivity.

Year round comfort? ~> You get what you pay for; ... Some come standard with fairing, panniers, heated grips, heated seat!!, etc ... but have higher base price. Others you can add the bling as aftermarket ...
Seat comfort is fairly ordinary on the KTM and most of the others would be more plush, especially for a pillion.

I just got back from a week 'touring' the Vic Alps, including many firetrails as well as the standard Gt Alpine Rd etc. Did it with a mate on a Kwaka KLR 650. It got along OK but had no fairing so mate knew he was in the weather. It would cruise at 110 but only had a short range tank so was looking for fuel after 200 km. It was definitely lower geared than my Katie and lighter as well, so was much more suited to goat tracking. For road use and open firetrails the stronger KTM was in it's element and would have performed equally well two up. I would not want to have been two up on the KLR!

>It got along OK but had no fairing so mate knew he was in the>weather. It would cruise at 110 but only had a short range tank so was>looking for fuel after 200 km. It was definitely lower geared than my Katie>and lighter as well, so was much more suited to goat tracking. For road>use and open firetrails the stronger KTM was in it's element and would>have performed equally well two up. I would not want to have been two up>on the KLR!>

Steady on M9, they aren't that bad :)

My guess is this was an older model. Not much has changed but the newer ones (2008 and 2009) do have some fairings and a 21 litre tank. I get 350 km before reserve and would get over 400 km from a tank. I am constantly waiting for my mates to fill up their G650 X's! A long range tanks is only $1k extra. I two up on the KLR as well. Road only though....

If you are leaning to a dual sport just research on the net. Plenty of comparisons out there.

He obviously can afford to be at the quoted price.>Ducati 1098 S>The Ducati 1098 S is lighter, faster, and $5,000 more expensive than the 1098 model, but if you believe Ducati it's worth every penny. What do you get over the standard $26,000 1098? Top shelf suspension in the form of fully adjustable 43mm Íhlins FG511 forks at the front and a fully adjustable Íhlins 46PRC rear shock with a ride enhancing top-out spring. There's also an fully-adjustable steering damper.

>The Ducati 1098 S is also lighter thanks to higher quality tyres, brakes, wheels, and a carbon fibre front fender. The Marchesini forged and machined wheels alone reduce weight by 1.9kg (4lbs), and the 'S' model also gets a red pin-stripe around the front and rear wheel rims.

>- Motoring Channel Staff

... Red pin-stripes are quite expensive these days, ... ~> but (I am told), they definitely make you go faster!

am doing the one at broadford on a friday and it is only $115 for the day i am hiring leathers too for $50 because you need a one piece or a 2 piece that zips together but from what i have sen advertised the phillip island ones are at least double that. Will let you know how i get on though should be a bit of fun

I was driving home from (snip) yesterday and was just south of (snip)
on the back road to (snip). I'd stopped in the shade on the
side of a long straight stretch to have a leak, make a coffee from the thermos
etc.

A bike approached from the south with rather more than great enthusiasm -
he was giving it heaps. He was winding it out in the gears and coming fast
enough that I briefly wondered if I should get behind the car just in case
he lost control. It sounded great! But then he slowed right down before he
got to me, which really was an anti-climax. Turned out he was on a V-rod.
I waved.

Then wondered why the piker had slowed down. After all, there was just a
bloke standing on the side of the road next to his car, wearing a light blue
shirt and dark coloured trousers. Oh.

Well fellow motorcyclists i did my track day at Broadford Raceway. It PISSED down all day so was a wet track bummer but i did get too dial in my wet weather cornering. After a small hassle with scrutineering (my left grip was moving a quick fix with some wire) i was up for my first of 7 20 min sessions. My first 3 sessions i was getting quicker and smoother, feeling more comfortable with the track and the wet until i came out of what is known as crash corner and had a bit of a wiggle not much in the grand scheme of things but fair put the wind up me. Almost pulled into the pits but stayed with it. After lunch was raining even more so only did 2 sessions but even though i had more moments it was good. Definently recommended if you want too find out what your bike and yourself can actually do too find the limits in 'safe' environment and for a total of $165 including $50 for the hire of one piece leathers really good value and a fun day will go back soon just hope i can do the next one on a dry day then i can really get it going.

Do you get feedback / further instruction between sessions? ... (I would expect your answer to be 'yes'! ... hence my next question) ~>
If you go out in the following session to having just received feedback do they give near real-time further fine tuning if they think you are not applying the information correctly?

How personalised is it, ie instructor to student ratio?

You say you put the wind up yourself; but was this from getting out of your comfort zone/depth initially, or because you had redefined your limits, ... and then tried to push them even further?

Did any of the participants drop their machine?

Do they teach you any tricks to try and use once that inevitable situation arises?

Further feedback appreciated as I am a bit reticent to spend money to go and scare myself plus possibly damage the bike unless I figure I will get sufficient value out of it to run that risk! Having ridden for quite a while now and survived so far, it tends to make me wonder how much value it is to those who may have already learnt a few tricks.

... which brings to mind another question. If a student does lose it badly, do they have decent medical attention and mechanical service available if required?